Composition of matter.



Patented September 6, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

EMILE DAVENES, OF SIERRA ,MADRE, CALIFORNIA.

COMPOSITION OF MATTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,305, datedSeptember 6, 1904. I Application filed July 13, 1903. Serial No.165,406. (No specimens.) 7

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EMILE DAvENns, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sierra Madre, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Compositions ofMatter, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a composition of matter-useful in making animproved wrapper for preserving fruit; and the object thereof is toproduce a wrapper with which to inclose thefruit, and thereby retard thedecay therein, particularly While the fruit is being transported fromone place to another and also while the same is packed in the warehouseor fruit-store. v g

It is well known that a great loss is sustained by fruit-growers byfailure of the railfects.

road companies to properly care for the fruit while in transit and tofurnish rapid transportation. The failure of trainmen to properlyventilate the cars containing the fruit and the delay in transmissionresults in a large percentage of loss due to rotting and other de- Thisis particularly true in transcontinental shipments; and the presentmethod has been devised to reduce the losswithout materially increasingthe expense of transportation, particularly when considered from a'comparative standpoint in relation to the loss or decay of fruitheretofore occurring.

As is well known, many fruits, as oranges, lemons, grape-fruit, and thelike, have an outer rind which is very porous and full of volatile oil,and an interior coating of'spongy matter which has a-great affinity formoisture, and if the oil evaporates the atmospheric air and moisturewill readily strike through said rind and be absorbed-by the interiorspongy matter, the result being that the rind will mold and cause thefruit to ferment and spoil. Something further is essential besides themere exclusion of air and moisture from fruit and vegetables. It isnecessary to prevent the evaporation of the volatile oils in the rind ofthe fruit andalso necessary to preserve the melted state.

acid in the fruit, so that when the latter is finally exposed to the airit will not readily invite decay, but will retain its weight, solidity,flavor, and acidity as long as it would have done if just plucked andnot wrapped. It has been found that the-use of a wrapper preparedaccording to the improved process .or method hereinafter explained isconducive in producing the desirable results ust enumerated.

In'the preparations of my improved composition of matter for preparing afruit-wrapper I dissolve one pound of hydrate of potash in three gallonsof boiling water and then add one quart of cotton-seed or othervegetable oil and ten pounds of animal fat and boil the mixture untilthe ingredients are thoroughly commingled, after which I add one poundof cocoa-butter, preferably in a melted state, and one pound ofpetrolatum, preferably in a These ingredients are thoroughly mixed byebullition produced by boiling the same, after which I add one-quarterof a pint of nitric acid and boil the combined mixture until thoroughlymixed. Pieces of paper of suitable dimensions to fully inolose the fruitare dipped in the mixture, and when sufiiciently cool each piece offruit is wrapped in one of these prepared pieces of paper, the samebeing secured thereto in a suitablema'n ner. The fruit so inoased isthenpacked in suitable boxes or cases with suitable packing material. Thepaper so treated prevents the entrance of air tothe fruit and alsoobstructs the evaporation of the oils contained in the rind of citrusfruits, and fruits so incased will be preserved'thereby from decay amuch longer time than if packed in unprepared fruit-wrappers.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

The herein-described process of making a composition of matter whichconsists in dissolving one pound of hydrate of potash in three gallonsof water and then adding one quart of vegetable oil and ten pounds ofanil In witness that 1 claim the foregoing I have mal fat and thoroughlymixing the same, and I hereunto subscribed my name this 6th day of tothe mixture adding one pound of cocoa- July, 1903.

butter and one pound of petrolatum and thor- EMILE DAV PINES. 5 oughlymixing by boiling, after Which add- \Vitnesses:

ing one-quarter of a pint of nitric acid and G. E. HARPIIAM,

then mixing the same. I H. C. NIoKnLusoN.

